Every year or so, a band will be described in the music press as the 'saviour of rock and roll' or some such over-heated epithet. Usually, they just aren't. However, that could all be about to change with the release of Miraculous Mule's 'Deep Fried', a wonderful collection of gospel blues and blues tracks beautifully reworked for the 21st century.
Miraculous Mule have been variously described as “a three-headed blues monster from Kentish Town, London.” and also as “Anglo-Irish Honkeys (who) play Blues, Gospel and Hillbilly music.” The band was formed in late 2010, and comprises Michael J. Sheehy on vocals, guitars, keyboards and percussion, Patrick McCarthy on bass, guitar, lap steel, banjo, harmonica, vocals and percussion, and Ian Burns on drums and vocals. All three members have an excellent musical pedigree that stretches back several years, with various members being part of Dream City Film Club, Michael J. Sheehy & The Hired Mourners, and all three having worked together as Saint Silas Intercession.
So what makes this CD such a well crafted debut? Well, the album is a mixture of stunningly original tracks and excellent cover versions. The covers are tracks that are unlikely to be in everyone's collections, ranging from 'Bal' Headed Woman', a reworking of 'Black Woman' which is on the Alan Lomax collection 'Murderous Home' a selection of prison recordings from Parchman Farm that were made in 1947 and 48; to a cover of 'Lord I Just Can't Keep From Crying.' This latter is a track originally recorded by the singing street-corner evangelist Blind Willie Johnson. (The original dates from December 5, 1928!).
The album opens with the wonderful 'Run On'. This is a traditional folk/gospel song that is also known as 'God's Gonna Cut You Down', and was also recorded by Johnny Cash for the posthumous release 'American V – A Hundred Highways'.
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Following on from this is 'Satisfied', which was released as a single last year and is an excellent example of a heavy gospel blues with an insistent really catchy beat, charting someone's search for god, drugs, women, and still ending up dissatisfied with their lot: - “Religion I tried them all, tried to heed my master's call/ But every one was contradiction and lies. Still I ain't satisfied/ There ain't a drug I ain't took, always prayin' that I'd get hooked/ Kept on goin' till I got fried. Still I ain't satisfied.”
The self-penned 'Evil On My Mind' is for me, the absolute show stopper, a slower, dirty blues that reeks of southern heat, sweat and sexual tension: - “I see the sun shinin' through her dress, my mouth is dry and my mind is a filthy mess/ I see her walkin' and the blood runs cold in my veins. I hear her talkin' like a needle to my brain/ Sun down and the feelin' won't subside. A broken bottle tearin' me up inside/ Evil, evil on my mind”.
This, for me, has certainly been the best release of the last few months. Copies of the CD or vinyl are available from Miraculous Mule online and the band is undertaking a European tour very shortly – details are here: Miraculous Mule Facebook page so, check the band out, and get the album. You will be Satisfied!
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